Signal for refrigerators



Aug. ll, 1925.

' R. l.. CLEMENT SIGNAL FOR. 'REFRIGERATORS Filed Jan.V 28, 1925 vwento@ Patented Aug. 11, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFEQE.

RENE LOUIS CLEMENT, OF NEW YORK, 1\T. Y.

SIGNAL .FOR REFRIGERATORS.

To all whom t may conce/1%.'

Be it known that I, RENE Louis CLEMENT, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Signal for Refrigerators, of which the following is a specification.

rIhis invention relates to a highly novel means adapted to be associated with a refrigerator or ice box whereby the visual signal is automatically moved to an operative position when the ice in the ice compartment has been entirely consumed.

One of the important obje-ets of the. present invention is to provide an indicating device of the above mentioned character, which cooperates with the drip-pan, a float being associated with the visual signal for moving the latter to an operative position when the water in the drip pan reaches a predetermined level, said level being indicative of the fact that the ice compartment is empty.

A further object of the invention is to provide an indicating device of the above mentioned character, which is of such construction as to enable the same to be readily installed upon refrigerators or ice boxes now universally in use without materially altering the same.

A further object is to provide an indicating device of the above mentioned character, which will at all times be positive and efficient in its operation, the signal being normally invisible when the ice compartment has ice thereon.

A still further object is to provide an indicating device of the above mentioned character, which is simple in construction, inexpensive, strong and durable and furthermore adapted for the purposes for which it is designated.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, and in which like numerals designate like parts throughout the same:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a refrigerator partly broken away illustrating the manner in which my improved device is associated therewith.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the refrigerator with parts broken away showing the indicating device in side elevation, and

Figure 3 is a fragmentary detail of the securing means for adjacent ends of the rod.

In the drawing, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown the preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 1 designates generally a refrigerator of any well known construction, the ice compartment thereof being indicated at 2. Removably supported in the bottom of the refrigator is the drip pan 3, a drain pipe such as is shown at fl extending from the ice compartment 2 and having its lower end disposed within the drip pan in the manner well known in the art. The drip pan is adapted for slidable movement on the guide strip 5 at a point adjacent the bottom of the refrigerator and the side wall of the refrigerator is provided with an opening 6 therein whereby the drip pan may be removed from the refrigerator when the same has become filled. A closure such as is shown at 7 is provided for the opening 6.

My improved indicating device comprises an upper and a lower discs 8 and 9 respectively, the same being supported on the vertically disposed arm 10. The arm and the discs S and 9carried thereby are adapted for vertical movement within a substantially oblong shaped casing 11 supported in a suitable opcning provided therefor in the front wall of the refrigerator adjacent the door provided for the ice compartment and adapted to communicate therewith in the manner clearly illustrated in the drawing. The front wall of the casing 11 is provided with the upper and lower openings 12 and 13 respectively and the purpose thereof will hereinafter be more fully described. rlhe rear wall of the casing is provided with a longitudinally extending slot 14 in which is operable the lateral extension 15 formed on the upper end of the upper rod 16.

The rod 16 extends downwardly within the refrigerator 1 and is disposed within suitable guide members 17 provided therefor as clearly illustrated in Figure 2. The lower end of the rod 16 is threaded as illustrated at 18 as is also the upper end of a short rod 19 as clearly illustrated at 20 in Figure 3 of the drawing. A threaded sleeve 21 affords a connection between the adjacent ends of the rods 18 and 19 and furthermore permits the adjustment of the length of the rod. The lower rod 19 eX- tends upwardly from a hollow float member 22 and is adapted to be associated therewith in any suitable manner.

lVhen the drip pan 3 is empty, the float 22 will be disposed in the bottom thereof, consequently causing the upper dise 8 which is preferably colored red to` be out of alignment with the opening 12 formed in the front face of the upper portion of the casing 11. The lower disc 9 will be in alignment with the opening 13l when the float 22 is in its lowermost position and this disc is preferably colored. white. lVhen the parts are arranged as above described, the white colored disc 9 will be visible through the opening 13 thus indicating that the ice compartment is filled with ice.

As the ice in the ice compartment melts, the water therefrom will drain into the drip pan simultaneously causing the float 22 to` rise upwardly. rThe upward movement of the ioat 22 will cause a similar movement to be imparted to the interconnected rod and the arm 10 associated with the lateral extension 1fy of the upper rod 16, thus causing the disc 9 to be moved out of alignment with the opening 13 and moving the colored disc 8 into alignment with the opening 12. When the float 22 has reached al predetermined level within the drip pan 3, the colored disc 18 will be clearly visible through the opening 12 in the upper portion of the casing 1l thus indicating that the ice in the ice compartment has been consumed and it must be necessarily refilled. It is of course to be understood that the drip pan 3 will hold such a quantity of water as to permit the float 22 and the signalling means associated therewith to properly function when all of the ice in the ice compartment has been consumed.

To prevent any danger of the water in the drip pan overflowing, an auxiliary pan 23 is removably disposed below the drip pan 3 and an overflow pipe 24 extends from the top of the drip pan at one side thereof downwardly and communicates with the auxiliary pan 23 in a manner as clearly illustrated in Figure 2. An outlet valve such as is shown generally at 25 is associated with the drip pan whereby the water therein may be discharged therefrom without necessitating the removal of the pan from its support. `When all of the water in the drip pan has been discharged therefrom, the float 22 will descend, causing the colored disc 8 to be moved out of alignment with the opening 12 and simultaneously moving the white disc 9 into alignment with the opening 13. Y

It will thus be seen from the foregoing description, that a signalling device has been provided for use in connection with the ice compartments of refrigerators or ice boxes which will at all times be positive and efficient in carrying out the purposes for which the same is designated, the indicating means being automatic in its operation. Furthermore, the simplicity in which my device is constructed enables the same to be readily and easily installed upon refrigerators or ice boxes now universally in use.

VJhile I have shown the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that various changes in the size, shape and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, without'departing from t-he spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is 1. In combination with a refrigerator, of means associated therewith for indicating when the drip pan of the refrigerator is full or empty, said means including a casing supported in the front wall of the ice compartn'ient of the refrigerator, the front face of the casing having an opening in the upper portion thereof, and an opening in the lower portion thereof, a signal member operable within the casing con'iprising an arm longitudinally disposed of the casing, and having discs supported on the ends thereof, and float operated means associated with the signalling member and controlled by the water in the drip pan, whereby when the drip pan is empty, the lower disc registers with the lower opening in the compartment, and when the drip pan is filled with water, the upper disc registers with the upper opening in the casing.

2. In a float controlled signalling device, a casing having one wall thereof provided with openings adjacent its ends and another wall thereof provided with` a longitudinally extending slot, an inverted L-shaped rod, guide members for the longer portion of the rod, the shorter portion of the rod extending through the slot, a float on the end of the longer portion of the rod, said longer portion of the rod having adjustable means incorporated therein whereby the length thereof may be varied, an arm on the extremity of the shorter portion of the rod disposed in the casing to extend longitudinally thereof, the length of said arm being less than the distance between said openings in the casing, and discs mounted on the ends of said arm to be brought .into registry with the openings all in the manner and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

RENE LOUIS CLEMENT. 

